Doctors in Wales have voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the Welsh Government’s pay offer, putting an end to three separate secondary care disputes.
The decision from the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Welsh consultant, junior doctor and SAS committees sees the possibility of any further strikes from the groups put to an end.
Results
Following BMA Cymru Wales’ referendum, a massive 96% of junior doctors voted to accept the 7.4% additional pay uplift — this sees the total uplift for the 2023/24 financial year increase to 12.4%, which will be backdated to April 2023.
Meanwhile, 86% of consultants voted to accept a revised pay scale that will improve early years pay and boost career average pay.
SAS — otherwise known as specialist, association specialist, and specialty doctors — voted to the tune of 82% in favour of their offer, which will see pay increases between 6.1-9.2%.
The results in full work out as:
- Junior doctors
- Yes — 96%
- No — 4%
- Turnout — 73%
- SAS doctors
- Yes — 82%
- No — 18%
- Turnout — 56%
- Consultants
- Yes — 86%
- No — 14%
- Turnout — 68%
Industry reaction
Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said that his organisation hopes the decision can represent a “fresh start” for all parties.
“Staff are the most important thing in the NHS, so we all need to work together to ensure they feel valued, so we can provide the best care for patients,” he said.
“The health service relies heavily on its consultant, SAS and junior doctor workforce and these professionals have helped to keep the most life-critical services afloat over the last few years of intense pressures.”
Dr Oba Babs-Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey, co-chairs of the BMA’s Welsh Junior Doctors Committee, said: “This pay deal and the emphatic vote by members to accept it shows how far we have come on our journey to fight for the future of our profession. For too long, junior doctors have been undervalued.”
The English leg of the BMA’s junior doctors are currently in the midst of a five-day walkout which will end at 07:00 tomorrow.
The NHS Confederation’s CEO, Matthew Taylor, aired his frustration at the strikes going ahead as we approach the home straight of general election campaigning, with both main parties pledging to restart negotiations immediately, if they come into office.
He said: “While we fully understand the genuine grievances junior doctors have over their pay, conditions and training, NHS leaders will still be frustrated that they will yet again be taking to the picket lines.
“Holding strikes in the middle of an election campaign when no political party is in a position to bring the dispute to a close is a bitter pill to swallow for staff who have to plug the gaps and patients who will have their appointments cancelled or delayed.”
Read National Health Executive’s coverage and how key stakeholders feel about the Labour and Conservative manifestos.
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